


A Very Batfamily Christmas

by tstansetis



Series: JayDick drabbles [2]
Category: DCU, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Christmas fic, Family, Hijinks & Shenanigans, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-20
Updated: 2015-12-20
Packaged: 2018-05-07 20:15:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5469548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tstansetis/pseuds/tstansetis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dick convinces Jason to come home for the holidays. General family shenanigans ensue.<br/>Rated G, JayDick fluff that centers around a Christmas gathering at the Wayne house.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Very Batfamily Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> I actually started writing this last Christmas, but I didn't finish it in time to post it, so I've re-worked it a bit, and here you have my batfamily Christmas fic. There's really no plot, it's just...Jason, being happy with his family, because he deserves it. Happy Holidays everyone!

“I changed my mind. C’mon, let’s go home.”

“Jaybird, we’re at the front door,” his voice was soft and encouraging in Jason’s ear, a gentle, pleading whisper, “you’ve made it so far. Please, I know you can do this.”

Jason puffed out a breath, glancing at his boyfriend out of the corner of his eye and biting down hard on his lower lip. Dick’s eyes glimmered with hope and excitement, and dammit, Jason couldn't ruin this for him. It took the optimistic idiot so long to convince Jason to even consider going with him, and he put so much effort into making sure that everything was perfect, and Jason couldn’t crush his spirit.

Still, he had his reservations about the whole ordeal. He’d made it very clear to Dickie from the get-go that he wasn’t get-going anywhere without some sort of compensation. And…well, Dickie had delivered. Of course he had. Jason wouldn’t be forgetting that anytime soon.

“This is a really shitty idea, Dickiebird,” he muttered, narrowing his eyes at the fancy brass knockers, “a really,  _really_ shitty idea.”

Practiced hands kneaded at his shoulders through his leather jacket, trying to calm Jason’s nerves. The younger man sucked in a deep breath through gritted teeth, leaning back into Dick’s touch, allowing himself to be comforted, just this once.

It was almost laughable, really. He could handle being beaten, blown up, and brought back. He could handle a confrontation with the maniac who killed him. He could handle being shot at every single night, but bring good ol’ daddy Bruce and the nest of baby birds and bats into the picture, and he completely froze.

He didn’t belong there. It wasn’t his home anymore, and no amount of reassurance from Golden Boy would ever change that.

“Jay, I promise, everyone wants you to be here,” Dickie’s fingers danced over Jason’s shoulders and neck as the younger man struggled to think of a way to escape, to dart off before the large, wooden doors were actually opened…

…to…leave Dick standing there alone watching him run off…

“…you sure?” he asked quietly.

Dick’s surprise wouldn’t have been obvious to anyone but Jason. He didn’t really react visibly, but Jason could feel it in the stutter of his fingertips before he stood on his toes, pressing a sweet kiss to Jason’s stubbled cheek.

“Positive, Jaybird. Absolutely positive.”

Jason dipped his head in an uncertain nod as he reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. Dick’s hand covered his own, and Jay looked up with a furrowed brow to see the older man slowly shaking his head. Jason sighed, reluctantly shoving them back into his pocket.  
“…fine.”

Dickie gave him one of his famously charming smiles.

“Let’s go inside, okay?”

The Red Hood huffed and crossed his arms defensively over his chest, looking away. Dick grinned, taking the action for the sign of begrudging agreement that it was, and turned, heading up the snow-covered steps to take the brass knocker in his hand and tap it in a little rhythm. Jason couldn’t suppress a smirk at the ridiculous sweater that clung to Dick’s torso - a fluffy, red and green number with prancing reindeer stitched to the front. Any reasonable person would’ve regifted the monstrosity years ago, but not Dick Grayson. No one would ever be able to claim that Goldie had any sort of fashion sense.

The large, wooden door squeaked on worn hinges as it opened, a familiar, wrinkled face poking out of the opening. White hair and mustache still just as Jason remembered - he couldn’t help but smile at the sight of the old butler. When Alfred saw Jason, his face lit up - first with surprise, then with delight.   


“Richard, Jason! What a pleasant surprise! Please, come in.” Alfred took a step away from the door, still beaming, “Timothy, Damian, Cassandra, Miss Gordon and Miss Brown are all in the front room. Please, feel free to join them. I shall fetch you both some hot chocolate. You must be freezing.”

“Thanks, Al!” Dick beamed at him, taking Jason’s hand and squeezing it reassuringly as he pulled him through the entryway. As he passed the threshold, he released a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. The warm air in the foyer overwhelmed him, the smell of Christmas cookies and cinnamon and eggnog enveloped his senses and made his head spin. Everything felt…normal. More normal than he ever thought it could after so long.

A shriek of laughter cut through his nostalgic haze, and his head whipped toward the sitting room, where a large pine tree was in the process of being adorned with ornaments - both homemade and store-bought - garland, tinsel, candy canes, the whole shebang. Barbara and Cassandra sat by the tree - actually decorating it - while Tim and Damian dashed around the room, dodging furniture and screeching at each other as Steph sat on the couch, doubled over in laughter at the boys’ antics.

As soon as Dickie stepped into the room, the entire atmosphere became much warmer - Dick had that effect on their weird little family. The two Robins came to a halt, and Tim gave Dick a bright smile, while Damian tried his best to hide his smile at the sight of his former mentor. Babs lept to her feet with a grin, hurrying over to wrap her arms around Dick’s neck and squeezing him tightly. Steph followed suit, both girls dangling off the man while Cassandra simply smiled from her spot near the tree, crossing her arms over her chest. Tim smirked, running to join the girls in their apparent attempt to knock the eldest Robin off his feet.

“Cease that at once!” Damian stomped closer, a typical scowl on his face, “You’ll hurt Grayson!”

“D-Dami,” Dick laughed, stumbling under the combined weight, “i-it’s fine- whoa!”

They let out a combined cry of surprise as their strange little pile collapsed. Damian hovered with a worried frown until he heard Dick’s laughter. He looked relieved for a moment before smirking and leaping atop the pile.

Jason glanced over at Cass, exchanging a smirk with her at the pile of idiots on the floor. Dick’s sunny nature was very contagious, even to the surliest members of their little clan - Damian and Bruce included.

Jason couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt this at home surrounded by these people.

His…family.

Finally, Dick managed to free himself from his prison of arms and legs, and all of those involved in the pile fell to the floor, everyone simply dying of laughter - except Damian, of course, who  just sat there with a smirk on his face. Jason let a soft chuckle bubble past his lips, closing his eyes and shaking his head. As he opened his eyes, however, he felt a familiar weight slam into him, sending his breath from his lungs in a  _whoosh_. He grunted as his ass hit the floor.

Dick had initiated the tackle, because of course he had, but before Jason even had a chance to pretend to be angry about it, another weight was added to the pile - Barbara had leapt atop Dick, a grin on her face.

“Hiya, Jason~” she beamed at him, “Merry Christma-ah!” Babs cried out in surprise as Tim joined the new pile, grinning from ear to ear.   


“Merry Christmas, Jason!”

The second Robin blinked in surprise. He hadn’t expected any of them to actually acknowledge his presence - except maybe to ask him when he planned on leaving. But…well, even the Replacement was welcoming him with open arms.

Weird.

Dick’s muffled laughter against his shoulder brought a slight smile to Jason’s face. He let himself lie back against the plush carpet, sighing softly as his lover relaxed against him.

This…had gone a lot better than either of them had anticipated.

Tim and Barbara sat up to help the two eldest Robins off the floor, and for a few hours, they all co-existed peacefully. Jason sat on the couch, telling Steph and Cass about he and Dick’s new apartment, while Dickie helped Barbara and Tim with the rest of the tree ornaments as Damian stood nearby with his arms crossed over his chest, angrily explaining to Dick why he should get a cat for Christmas.

“I know that father said no,” the boy huffed angrily, “but it is ridiculous and unnecessary. I am more than capable of taking care of my animals.”

“I’m pretty sure what he said was,” Dick held his hands up by his head, index fingers pointed up to mimic the cowl, and furrowed his brow, deepening his voice to a gravelly rumble, “no more strays, Robin. I still can’t believe Nightwing let you bring home a cow.”

Jason howled at Dick’s impression, Tim nearly choked on his cocoa, and Damian’s eyes lit up in amusement before narrowing again, his lip jutting out in a pout.

“Well, regardless, I do not understand why father will not get me a cat for Christmas.”  
Dick glanced up, meeting Jason’s gaze with a smirk before looking back down at Damian.

“Maybe it’s because someone else already got you one. Y’know, like Santa.”

The boy quirked an eyebrow at him, giving Dick a suspicious once-over, “Santa?”

“Yeah. Santa. So stop bugging B about it, and help me put the star on top of the tree.” the eldest laughed, reaching over to ruffle Damian’s hair, much to the younger’s feigned annoyance. He tipped his head up, wrinkling his nose.

“Very well, Grayson, I shall assist.”

“Thank you, Lil D~” Dick grinned, lifting the boy up so that Damian could place the star atop the tree.

A cough caught their attention as Dick put his younger brother back on the floor. Alfred stood in the doorway, smiling as the group turned to look at him.

“Master Bruce will be down shortly. I’d suggest refraining from any more bat-impersonations once he arrives, yes?”

Jason tensed, jaw clenching. He’d assumed Bruce was out for the day - would’ve explained his absence - but him being asleep…actually made a lot more sense. The Bat  _was_ nocturnal, after all.

Reassuring fingers entwined with Jason’s, and he glanced over to meet Dickie’s bright blue eyes. His lover gave him a gentle smile, squeezing Jason’s hand tightly and leaning slightly closer to him.

“It’s alright, Jaybird,” he murmured quietly, shifting to catch Jason’s hand in both of his, all hopeful smiles, “everything’s gonna be fine. I promise.”

Jason bit back an annoyed quip, swallowing, “…if you say so, Dickie.”

Tension loomed over them as Bruce’s footfalls reached their ears. Jason squeezed Dick’s hand until his knuckles turned white.

He wasn’t afraid of Bruce, he told himself. He wasn’t. He was afraid for Dickie. Afraid of his boyfriend’s hopes of a perfect Family Christmas being shattered, either because Bruce didn’t want Jason here at all, or because he didn’t approve of their relationship.

Really, he was irrationally afraid that, if Bruce wanted him to, Dick would leave him, because Bruce was more important. He was afraid that he’d be spending Christmas in the much-too-quiet-without-Dick apartment that they’d bought together…alone.

His blood rushed in his ears, drowning out Dick’s muffled words of encouragement as Bruce Wayne stepped into the room with a smile that faltered almost the instant he saw Jason sitting under the tree with the rest of their pulled-together family.  The young man clenched his eyes shut tight, preparing himself for Bruce’s too-calm voice telling him to get out. For Dick to jump to his defence, for the relatively happy atmosphere he’d built here to be shattered.

What he didn’t expect - what he never would’ve expected in a million years, really - was Bruce’s voice being soft, shaking…hopeful?

“Jason?”

The former robin opened one eye, looking up at Bruce, almost not daring to believe that the man was smiling at him. He felt a tug on his hand, and he followed it, slowly raising to stand by Dick’s prompting. Dick, who was pulling him closer to Bruce. With each step they took, Jason’s anxiety rose. He had to fight to keep calm, had to bite back dry humor and cruel words.

He’d made a promise to Dick that he’d try. So he would.

For Dick.

He was standing face to face with the Batman now, and was surprised to see that they were nearly the same height. It had been a long time since he’d just stood near Bruce, since he’d had a moment to actually take him in. His hair had greyed around his temples, and he looked…older, more tired, than the last time Jason had looked him in the eyes, no masks, no helmets, no capes or guns.

They stared at each other for what seemed like hours, both uncertain what to say, before Dick cleared his throat and elbowed Bruce in the side. The man jumped in surprise, glancing over at the younger man, who gave him an encouraging nod. Bruce swallowed, then took a step forward, toward Jason, reaching for him slowly, and Jason felt a surge of nervousness. He flinched, expecting to be grabbed by the arm and led out of the room.

Instead, he felt himself pulled into strong arms, his cheek pressed against Bruce’s broad chest. He froze, blinking in shock for a moment before hesitantly winding his arms around the man’s waist, returning the hug. He heard Dick gasp excitedly, and could just imagine the radiant smile on his lover’s face as Bruce squeezed him a little tighter.

Jason knew this peace wasn’t going to last forever - they were still going to fight all the time, because Jason wouldn’t stop killing criminals and Bruce wouldn’t stop not being okay with that, but the Red Hood couldn’t help the smile that tugged at the corners of his lips as Bruce rumbled in his ear.

“Welcome home, son. Merry Christmas.”


End file.
